And just remember, always wait to call your dog.
For the past three years (for me) and the past thirty years (for Dad and his cousin Carl), the Galloways have been pursuing American Woodcock and Grouse (upland game birds) in the Northwoods of Michigan.
For the unacquainted, upland birds are generally pursued with the assistance of hunting dogs. Typically, the hunting dog of choice is a setter (e.g. English Setter) or a pointer (e.g. German Shorthaired Pointer). Countless books, poems, and painting have been drafted specifically about the beauty and lure of bird hunting in the fall…
But last week the dog taught me a true life lesson.
For reasons not worth delving into, last week I was hunting over Dad’s English Setter “Ivy” without Dad. And it was (more than) a little odd. I was unsure if Ivy would hunt for me, if she would listen to my commands, and if she would leave me to chase dad's scent (hunting a ¼ mile away).
It is easy to think when the dog is running far far away, hunting the same cover for the 10th time, or trotting along the walking trail that she has lost her marbles and needs a commandment to reign her back in.
It is easy to think we are in control.
And without exception, every time my doubt starts to creep in, she finds another bird and I humbly follow her lead.
Ivy hunted methodically from cover-to-cover that morning. She did not need commands. She did not need Dad, me, or anyone else to know she should tactfully approach from the leeward side which led to nearly twenty successful points.
Always wait to call your dog. Trust your dog.
Be curious. Not judgmental. Trust your tribe. There is always more to the story.
Don’t think less of yourself. Think about yourself less.
Fun fact: Gun dogs date back to the 14th century. Once the dogs locate prey, they stop mid-walk and point (i.e. “pointers”) its entire body in the direction of the prey, so the hunter can sneap up and shoot the prey. The “setter” moniker came from the original dog’s behavior, laying down (or “setting”) after locating game, so the hunter could throw a net over the prey without tangling in the dog.
[Also, Dad has put countless hours into training Ivy and that should not be lost in consideration here. Thank you, Dad.] |
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